Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The Grand Ole Opry returns this weekend to the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville for the next 3 months. With the return downtown and the approaching holiday season, the Opry will return to 2 shows on Saturday night in addition to the single Friday Night Opry.

The Friday Night Opry will feature Little Big Town, and they currently are John Conlee's only guest on the final segment. Also appearing will be Josh Turner, who on October 27th celebrated his 6th year as an Opry member. Also appearing will be guest artists Jim Lauderdale and Chris Janson.

Saturday's Grand Ole Opry will feature the return appearance of Deana Carter. She did the Opry several months back and was very impressive in her appearance and well received. Joining Deana for both shows will be The Grascals, along with Mandy Barnett. Opry member Terri Clark will appear on the 1st show only.

6 Opry members on Friday night with 7 for each show on Saturday night.

For this week's look back in Grand Ole Opry history, we go to 50 years ago this Saturday night as on Saturday November 2, 1963, the Opry celebrated its 38th birthday. If you remember, the early DJ Conventions were held in November, only moving to the October dates when October became recognized as "Country Music Month", which also was part of the CMA Awards show.

As you would expect, it was a loaded Opry that night with just about every Opry member present. Normally the Opry ran one show from 7:30-Midnight, however on the birthday night, it was the one show starting at 6:30. Here is the line-up and running order from that night:

6:30: Rudy's
Jimmy Newman (host): The Mover
Kitty Wells: Heartaches For A Keepsake
Johnny Wright: Oh Baby Mine (I Get So Lonely)
Stringbean: There Will Be Moonshine In Them Old Kentucky Hills
Bobby Lord: Out Behind The Barn
Curly Fox: The Old Gray Mule
Kitty Wells: I Gave My Wedding Dress Away
Jimmy Newman: D.J. For A Day

7:00: Delited
Porter Wagoner (host): I've Enjoyed As Much Of This As I Can Stand
Roy Drusky: Peel Me A Nanner
Carl Butler: Don't Let Me Cross Over
Melba Montgomery: What's Bad For You Is Good For Me
Bill Carlisle: No Help Wanted
Billy Walker: The Morning Paper
George Hamilton IV: Abilene
Porter Wagoner: In The Shadow Of The Wine

I would have to go back and do some checking, but this might be the best Opry line-up I have ever posted. Considering that Brother Oswald, Howdy Forrester and Jimmy Riddle worked for Roy Acuff, the only non-Opry members on this line-up were Johnny Cash (who had moved to California by this time), Tex Ritter (who would join the Opry later) and Melba Montgomery. 25 of the acts did 2 spots that night, while 18 others appeared just one time. You can see how important the birthday shows and DJ Convention was back during that time period.

I will also mention that Saturday November 3, 1990 was Minnie Pearl's 50th anniversary show as an Opry member. I have posted the details of that night before, so here briefly, is the line-up from that night:

Gary Morris and Chet Atkins were the only non-Opry members to appear on that night. Gary Morris did a special song for Minnie that started off the televised portion (which was the entire hour), and Chet Atkins was there because of Minnie. Also the televised portion that night featured the Opry's Hall of Famers who were present (Jimmy Dickens, Grandpa Jones, Hank Snow and Roy Acuff). And as a special surprise, Dwight Yoakam had 50 dozen roses delivered to Minnie that night. A very special night in the Opry's history.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

The line-ups have been posted for the mid-week Opry shows and both nights look pretty good. The Tuesday Night Opry will take place at the Grand Ole Opry House, which will host its final Opry show for this year prior to moving to the Ryman Auditorium starting on Friday Night. Making a return appearance to the Opry on Tuesday will be Barry Gibb. Barry did the Opry once previously and was actually well received. He will be appearing with special guest Kelly Lang, along with Opry member Ricky Skaggs. Kelly's husband, TG Sheppard is also scheduled, as are Opry members Montgomery Gentry, Del McCoury and Larry Gatlin.

Charlie Daniels will be the Spotlight Artist for the final Opry Country Classics show for this year. The show will be hosted by Larry Gatlin and will also feature Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie McCoy.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The Grand Ole Opry closes out the year at the Grand Ole Opry House this weekend before moving downtown next week to the Ryman Auditorium for the annual winter run of shows. There will be the usual one show each night and the line-ups for this weekend look very solid.

The Friday Night Opry will feature super-group Lady Antebellum. The will be joined by guest artists Love and Theft, Darryl Worley and The Isaacs. Also scheduled is Opry member Marty Stuart, who will be joined on his segment by newcomer Brandy Clark, who has impressed Opry audiences in her previous appearances.

The Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night also is looking solid with Opry members Steve Wariner and Del McCoury leading the way, along with guest artists Elizabeth Cook, Chuck Wicks, Mark Wills and Mallary Hope, all of whom visit the Opry frequently.

Also scheduled are two Opry members who have been missing in recent weeks. Mike Snider is back on the schedule, along with Jimmy C Newman, who has been missing from the Opry because of a fall at the Opry House. Glad to see Jimmy C back.

Wow!! We are up to 9 Opry members on Saturday night. That is one of the higher numbers in recent weeks. The one thing I will say as the Opry prepares to move downtown to the Ryman is that the quality of the line-ups generally improve greatly during November and December as many of the Opry's members are home for the holidays or coming off of holiday tours. Along with the guest artists that are scheduled, it creates some good shows.

In what should be an outstanding Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree this week, Steve Wariner will be the host. I am sure he will be playing many of his hits along with songs from his new CD. Should be a good night.

Now for this week's look back into past Grand Ole Opry line-ups, it was 40 years ago on Saturday October 27, 1973 that Jerry Clower joined the Grand Ole Opry. Jerry was the last artist to join the cast of the Opry before it left the Ryman Auditorium and moved to the Grand Ole Opry House.

He was born on September 28, 1926 in Liberty, Mississippi. After serving in World War II, he returned home and attended Mississippi State University. After finishing school, he worked as a county agent, a seed salesman and finally selling fertilizer for the Mississippi Chemical Corporation. As a salesman, he became successful and popular for his story telling and tapes of his speaking engagements eventually led to a recording contract thanks to Edwin Wilkes and Bud Andrews. Wilkes sent a copy of a tape to Grant Turner at WSM and Turner played it on the air. It was such a hit that MCA signed him to the label and his first album in 1971 "Jerry Clower from Yazoo, City, Mississippi Talkin'" reached the Top 20 and stayed on the charts for 30 weeks. Over the course of his career, he made 27 albums, all but one released on MCA.

Jerry was also known for his deep religious convictions, which played a part in many of his stories. In addition to his speaking engagements, he also co-hosted "Nashville On The Road", the popular television series hosted by Jim Ed Brown. The show aired from 1975 through 1981. He also wrote several books.

Jerry Clower was an Opry member until he died on August 24, 1998 following heart bypass surgery. He was 71. He had been married to Homerline, who played many a part in Jerry's stories, for 51 years.

When Jerry joined the Opry, Hal Durham mentioned that there had not been a new "straight comic" signed in years and immediately saw the potential for Jerry to be a part of the Opry. Jerry said of his Opry membership, "It's undescribable, because, you see, I had prayed as a little boy that at the end of a crop year we'd clear enough money for us to go see the Grand Ole Opry. And we never did make it. Now, here I was on it! Grand Ole Opry star Jerry Clower! Woooo!"

Here is the Grand Ole Opry line-up and running order from Saturday October 27, 1973, the night Jerry Clower joined the Grand Ole Opry.

I have said before that comedy is a lost art at the Opry. Country comedy that is. And that is what Jerry Clower brought to the Opry. Some of his stories were classics and while he didn't appear at the Opry as often as many would have liked, he was always proud of his Opry membership and a good loyal Opry member.

Monday, October 21, 2013

The Grand Ole Opry will honor breast cancer awareness on Tuesday October 22, as the Opry will do the annual "Opry Goes Pink" Tuesday Night Opry. Unlike past years, this year it will be an all-female line-up and a pretty good one:

Meanwhile, Opry Country Classics continues its run with Hall of Fame member Bobby Bare as the spotlight artist this week. I saw Bobby at Jim Ed Brown's 50th anniversary show in August, said hi to him, and he looks fine and sounded great.

Appearing with him will be Daryle Singletary, Joanna Smith and The Whites, with Larry Gatlin the host. Just on his own, Bobby is worth the price of admission.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Two of the most important anniversaries in the history of the Grand Ole Opry were the 50th, which took place in 1975, and the 75th, which took place in 2000. The 50th anniversary show took place the weekend of October 17th & 18th, with 1 show on Friday Night and 2 shows on Saturday night. As you would expect, Saturday was the big night of the weekend as in those days the Friday night show was not considered in the same class as Saturday's. In fact, many of the Opry's stars, including Hank Snow, would not do the Friday show.

Just to point that out, here is the line-up from Friday October 17, 1975, the night before the actual 50th anniversary show:

Wow, what a show!! The first show actually ran pretty much on time, while the 2nd show ended at 1:15 a.m. and that was with Hank Snow's segment lasting 25 minutes and Roy Drusky's just 20. Roy Acuff's segment, that was supposed to last 15 minutes, actually took 50. It was during that segment that the birthday cake was rolled out and all the speeches made. Also, Minnie Pearl had just been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier that week and she received a long, standing ovation. And, for those counting, that was over 40 acts on the 1st show and 42 acts on the 2nd show, all but Roy Clark and Susan Raye being Opry members. (if I counted right)

Moving ahead to 2000, when the Grand Ole Opry celebrated it's 75th anniversary with 2 shows each on Friday and Saturday night. Most of the Opry's members were scheduled for at least one of the shows that weekend and as you would expect, each of the shows were sold out. One of the things that I thought was nice about these shows was the mixure of veterans and new acts, including Garth Brooks doing all 4 shows that weekend.

10:00: Local Lincoln Mercury Dealers/The Restaurants at the Opryland Hotel
Jimmy Dickens (host): Take An Old Cold Tater
Pam Tillis: Ophelia/How Strange/Heart Over Mind
Ronnie Milsap: Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me/All is Fair In Love and War
Jimmy Dickens: Life Turned Her That Way

11:00: Coca-Cola
Riders In The Sky (host): How the Yodel Was Born
Jean Shepard: Tennessee Waltz
Ricky Van Shelton: Matchbox/I Got A Hole In My Pocket
Ricky Van Shelton & Jack Greene: Statue Of A Fool
Steve Wariner: Holes In The Floor of Heaven
Riders In The Sky: Rawhide

11:30: Grand Ole Opry Cruise
Johnny Russell (host): Truck Driving Man
Jan Howard: Where No One Stands Alone
Ray Pillow: That Ain't No Way To Treat My Heart
Charlie Walker: Home In San Antone
Garth Brooks: Two Of A Kind/It's What I Didn't Do
Garth Brooks & Steve Wariner: Long Neck Bottle
Garth Brooks: Til The River Runs Dry/Friends In Low Places/The Dance

When you look at the 75th line-up, it is hard to believe that this was just 13 years ago and Pete Fisher/Steve Buchanan had just taken over at the Opry. And it is hard to think that in just the last 13 years, the Opry members we have lost that were there for the 75th. Stars such as Porter Wagoner, Johnny Russell, Charlie Walker, Jack Greene, Wilma Lee Cooper, Bill Carlisle, Billy Walker, Del Reeves, Hank Locklin, Ernie Ashworth, Mel McDaniel and Charlie Louvin. Such great veterans. And of course, when you compare the 2013 birthday show to the 2000 show, the only Opry members who appeared then and now were Jan Howard, Steve Wariner, Jean Shepard, Jimmy Dickens, Connie Smith, Jeannie Seely, Jim Ed Brown and The Whites. Just 8. My, things have changed at the Opry in the last decade and you can really tell the difference as you go back and look at these great birthday celebrations from the past.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The Grand Ole Opry has posted the line-up for the two shows this weekend, the Friday Night Opry and Saturday's Grand Ole Opry.

Let's start with Saturday night, which looks like the stronger of the two. American Idol star Scotty McCreery will be making another Opry appearance. I have seen him several times on the Opry and he has done a nice job each time. Also guesting will be The Willis Clan, very talented and popular stars from their GAC show, along with former Statler Brother Jimmy Fortune. This week's guest from the "Nashville" show will be Charles Esten. I have seen that the ratings are way down for this show, so I have to be wondering if this will be the final year, which would seem to mean more openings on the Opry's schedule as they have been scheduling pretty heavy from the tv show. And, for the 2nd time this year, Stu Phillips is on the schedule. I hope he is in good voice.

Friday's show has guest artists Greg Bates, Danny Gokey, Restless Heart and Joanna Smith scheduled, all familar to Opry audiences, along with comedian Henry Cho. We have commented before how comedy seems to have disappeared from the Opry. There use to be such great comedians as Opry members, but outside of Mike Snider, who seems to be focusing more on his music, there is not much to laugh about on the show.

7 Opry members on Friday night and just 6 on Saturday. Shameful!! And is it just me, or have others noticed that Bill Anderson seem to really be cutting back on his Opry appearances? I know he has been working on a new CD, a book and taking some vacation time, but it used to be that if Bill did not have a tour date, you could count on him at the Opry.

And, a few have noticed on the scheduling of upcoming Opry appearances, but Hal Ketchum is scheduled for the Tuesday Night Opry on November 19. Good for Hal and good for the Opry. I am looking forward to his return and am very interested in how he sounds. He has been missed at the Opry and I am glad he is well enough to come back.

Looking back into Grand Ole Opry history, and sticking with the theme of the month, which is past Opry birthday/DJ conventions, I want to post the line-up from Saturday October 18, 1969, which was the Opry's 44th birthday. What makes this show so interesting is that parts of it were filmed and included in a CD that is available called, "The Nashville Sound." If you have not seen this CD, I would recommend getting it as it is a real nice view of the Opry and Nashville from that era.

Every segment hosted by a current or future Hall of Famer. As far as the timing of the show, the 2nd show ended at 1:00am, and that was with Hank Snow's segment lasting only 25 minutes and Bill Monroe getting on and off in 20. The only Opry members missing were Ernie Ashworth, Billy Grammer, Lonzo & Oscar, Norma Jean, Marty Robbins, Stringbean, Marion Worth, George Jones and Tammy Wynette. Finally, when you watch the DVD, you will notice that the acts are out of sequence to how they appeared on the actual show and the film shows Charley Pride performing on the Opry, yet he did not appear on this particular night. And as good as the first show was, the 2nd show included Johnny Cash and Jeannie C Riley!!

For the 2nd line-up, I want to go to Saturday October 16, 1971, 42 years ago this week and other DJ convention show. This line-up was certainly impressive and included the Opry debut of Freddie Hart, who at the time had his great #1 hit, "Easy Lovin'", which in my view is one of the all time classic hits in country music history. Last year, Freddie was on the "Marty Stuart Show", and considering that he is over 80, he looked good and could still hit the notes. And yes, he did "Easy Lovin'".

At 12:58, they were finally done!! This is what I call a Grand Ole Opry show. Again, every segment hosted by a either a current or future Hall of Fame member. And, Porter Wagoner, Glaser Brothers, Jim & Jesse and Coz. Jody were also scheduled but cancelled out, while Bill Monroe was also scheduled for the 2nd show and did not appear. The only Opry members who did not appear on this show were Bobby Bare, Margie Bowes, Archie Campbell, Skeeter Davis, Billy Grammer, Hank Locklin, Lonzo & Oscar, Bobby Lord, Osborne Brothers, Jean Shepard, Stringbean, Marion Worth and George Hamilton IV.

I think it is safe to say that this year's Opry birthday bash didn't measure up to either of these shows!!!

Saturday, October 12, 2013

As most of the Grand Ole Opry's annual birthday celebrations have taken place during the month of October, I thought it would be nice to take a few moments and review the history of the event and how it grew into what takes place each year.

Originally known as the DJ (Disc Jockey) Convention, it was organized to honor the Grand Ole Opry while consolidating Nashville's role in the country music industry. The event, which originally commemorated the Grand Ole Opry's Birthday Celebration, was suggested in 1951 by Harianne Moore of WSM's advertising department. The idea was for the country music artists to thank the disc jockeys for playing their records and promoting their concerts, while giving the disc jockeys the opportunity to meet the stars and to tape spots with the artists to be played on their local stations.

The first event took place in November 1952 and involved about 100 DJs, who were invited from a list that was furnished by Acuff-Rose Publications, which kept a national list of disc jockeys. They were welcomed to WSM radio and treated to a Grand Ole Opry show. The first year was considered enough of a success that it was repeated the following year and extended over two days, with record companies and publishers hosting receptions and BMI giving its first country music awards for radio airplay. In addition, DJs organized the Country Music Disc Jockeys Association, precursor to the CMA. By 1958 attendance had grown to over 2,000 with more and more entertainers taking part. In addition to the formal and informal parties, there were now panels on industry issues.

That same year the CMDJ disbanded and the CMA was organized. Since then, the CMA has taken over the event. In 1963, thanks to a push by the CMA, October was declared Country Music Month and the event, which had taken place in November, switched to October to take advantage of the better weather. As attendance continued to grow, the CMA organized their own awards show, along with ASCAP and SESAC, both industry publishing houses. In 1969, the first Country Radio Broadcasters seminar was held and the CRB soon established their own organization.

Because so many country music fans had begun coming to Nashville for the DJ Convention week, the CMA created a festival for just the fans, which was named Fan Fair. Fan Fair still exists today, but has been renamed the CMA Music Festival, while the Country Radio Broadcasters hold their own event.

While the DJ convention no longer exists as it once did, the Opry's Birthday Celebration, which was one of the primary reasons for the convention starting, continues. The birthday celebration grew into such a big event because the majority of Opry members would be in town for the event. That was how important the DJs were to their careers. However, as time goes on, and while the birthday celebration continues, it is not the primary event that it used to be.

As the Opry's birthday month continues, so do the line-ups from past birthday celebrations. On October 13, 1979, the 54th birthday show took place as part of the DJ convention. Here is the line-up from that year's show:

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

After the "big" Grand Ole Opry birthday bash last weekend, the Opry moves on with 2 more shows this weekend at the Opry House. Over all, the shows do not look that bad with the Friday Night Opry featuring guest artists, and frequent Opry performers, Sunny Sweeney, James Wesley, Sam Bush, Moe Bandy, Wade Hayes and Collin Raye. In addition, Amber Carrington from season 4 of "The Voice" will be making an Opry appearance. If that sounds like a lot of non-Opry members on Friday night, it is as only 5 Opry members are scheduled.

It is a little better on Saturday night, as there are 6 Opry members listed. Among the guests artists listed this week are Gwen Sebastian and The Black Lillies, who are always entertaining. Junior Brown makes one of his rare Opry appearances, along with Chris Carmack, who has you might suspect, has been on the "Nashville" program. Also scheduled is Joey + Rory, 2 people who I really think would make great Opry members.

Missing this weekend is Jimmy Dickens, along with Jimmy C Newman, who cancelled out last weekend.

As we continue through the month of October, this week's look back into Grand Ole Opry history will continue to focus on past birthday shows and I have a couple of more to share. The 1st is from Saturday October 12, 1985, 28 years ago this weekend, which was the Opry's 60th birthday celebration. Here is the running order from that night:

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars in the Juke Box/A Dime at a Time/Looking at the World Through A Windshield
4 Guys: Whiskey & Water
Del Reeves: Louisiana Legs

8:30: Music Valley Drive
Hank Snow (host): Bluebird
Roy Drusky: If the Whole World Stopped Loving
Wilma Lee Cooper: Honey in the Rock
George Hamilton IV: Forever Young
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Hank Snow: I Stepped Over the Line

A very nice line-up with Charley Pride as a guest. Also, I am sure it was noticed when reading the line-up that Roy Acuff did not perform, only coming on stage to help the Opry celebrate it's birthday. On June 16, Roy had chest pains and was taken to the hospital. He spent 2 days there and doctors found a blood clot on his right lung and he was given blood thinners. It was later found that he also was suffering from anemia and diverticulitis. On Saturday September 14, Roy was on Bill Anderson's segment and announced that he would be 82 years old the next day, but he didn't sing. In honor of his birthday, WSM sent Roy and some of his friends to Atlanta where they watched the Braves play the Reds. Roy's next appearance at the Opry was on the night of the Opry's 60th anniversary, when he came out on stage, but he did not sing. He did finally return to the Opry the following Saturday night, October 19.

The 2nd line-up is from 5 years later, on Saturday October 13, 1990 when the Opry celebrated it's 65th birthday. Again, a very solid line-up for the birthday show:

7:00: Shoney's
Tom T Hall (host): Country Is
Stu Phillips: Great El Tigre
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Steve Wariner: Til I Can Come Home to You/Kansas City Lights
Tom T Hall: Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine

8:00: Martha White
Jimmy Dickens (host): John Henry
Jack Greene: The Last Letter
Jean Shepard: Second Fiddle
The Whites: Keep on the Sunny Side
Opry Square Dance Band/Stoney Mountain Cloggers: Bill Cheatham
Jimmy Dickens: What Will I Do Then

Sunday, October 6, 2013

I somewhat hesitate in offering my comments on the Grand Ole Opry's 88th birthday weekend, as I read some of the comments that have already been made and found almost off of them right on with my own thoughts. As you would expect, the weekend had its good and bad moments. More on that in a minute, but first I wanted to thank all of you who have been reading the blog and especially those who offer their comments. Sometimes I do wonder if anyone is reading. Well, not to brag, but I do have a counter on the blog and since I started this in 2009, the blog has been viewed just over 279,500 times, and in the past 30 days, has been viewed just under 14,000 time, Wow!! And many thanks.

I also want to say thanks to all of those I met during the Opry's birthday weekend. It's nice to see who the readers of the blog are and it's also nice to know that there are others out there who share my love and appreciation of the Opry. I have said it before, it is not easy some days being an Opry fan or listening to the Opry. But it still has its magic moments and to me, it is still the best country music show out there. Thanks again. Now for the birthday weekend:

As several of you have already mentioned, the Friday Night Opry was good. Among those who I thought did very well were The Steeldrivers, who have always impressed me with their energy and musical skills. They have been guests at the Opry before and always do a fine job. Jesse McReynolds has had some health issues lately, but you would not have known it seeing and hearing him. He again did a fine Grateful Dead number from the album that Jessie says has sold more than any other album that he has done, and he showed that at the age of 84, he has not lost any of his skills. In March, he will be celebrating 50 years as an Opry member. Crystal Gayle and Kathy Mattea again showed why they should be Opry members. They both enjoy the Opry and are always entertaining. This was the second time that I have seen The Secret Sisters, and they have also been impressive both times I have seen them perform. Very simple with their vocals, and they also keep the music simple. And not to forget Mark Wills, who always does a nice job. The hosts for each segment, John Conlee, Jeannie Seely, The Whites and Jim Ed Brown all did a nice job. The one name that I have not mentioned is Kristen Kelly. She does the Opry quite often and is familiar to many of us. That said, she was not impressive. She, along with the music, were loud and she just didn't seem to add anything to the show. The Opry House was about two-thirds filled, with just the upper balcony and wings empty.

The Opry's birthday concert Saturday afternoon featured Steve Wariner. Steve was outstanding, performing just about all of his hits, honoring Chet Atkins with a few songs, and doing a couple of numbers from his new CD. He told a few stories and certainly gave the audience their money's worth. I think they said the crowd was right around 1500, which isn't too bad for a hot, sunny afternoon. After the show, he signed and did pictures for all who were there.

As far as Saturday's Grand Ole Opry, I went in expecting the show not to be that great, considering it was the birthday weekend, but it turned out good, especially the 1st show. Jean Shepard looked better than I have seen her lately and continues to sound great. And Jeannie Seely really gave her a nice introduction. Sarah Darling continues to impress. A fantastic voice and she had some good song selections. Her career continues to move forward. It was my first time to see Tate Stevens, and I was surprised. He was very good and very country. His band was tight. It was mentioned that if he was a little younger he would have a real future in the industry, but his age might work against him. Mandy Barnett was Mandy Barnett, if you know what I mean. In addition to Jeannie, Connie Smith, John Conlee and Steve Wariner all did good jobs hosting. It was mentioned in the comments that Connie seems to be getting more comfortable in the role of hosting and I have to agree. Finally, there was Sam Palladio from the Nashville televison show. Sam and his band did a very nice job. The music was good and he did a couple of ballads that were heart felt.

You will notice that I left 3 names off. Jan Howard would have been fine if she and the Opry Staff Band were on the same page. The band was playing the song faster than she wanted to sing it, and you could tell she was not a happy camper. She left the stage quickly. Too bad, as her voice was good. This makes 2 years in a row for Casey James at the birthday bash and in my opinion, it is 2 years too many. Not country at all and very loud. But we all know why he was there and he met the goal. Finally there was Jimmy Dickens. I got word before the show he was backstage, and it had been hinted on Friday night that he would be there. For those who were there, or listened on the radio, you know the segment did not go well. He did seem confused and obviously was either not hearing or understanding the questions that Bill Cody was asking. I do know that after his segment, he left the Opry House very quickly. Other than that, I am not going to be hard on Jimmy. At 93 years of age, and the year he has had with his health, just the fact that he was there was a surprise. But from what I saw, I wouldn't be surprised at all if we didn't see him at the Opry again, at least for a while. I also wanted to mention that Jimmy C Newman was on the schedule for both shows on Saturday night. The word that I got was he wasn't feeling well and that was why he was not there.

As far as the 2nd show, it was pretty much a carbon copy of the first, with the exception of George Hamilton IV appearing instead of Jan Howard. George did "Forever Young", which he does quite often and as usual, did a very nice job. Tate, Sam and Mandy all repeated the same songs they did on the first show, which is something I don't like.

As for some other Opry comments from Saturday, the attendance for the 1st show was just over 4,000 with some seats in the upper balcony empty. The 2nd show drew about 1700, not good at all for a birthday show. For those of you who have not been to the Opry in a while, there was an incident at the Opry House a couple of months back, and as a result those sitting in the balcony are no longer allowed to come down on the main floor to take pictures. There is a hostess at each door to the main floor and you have to show you ticket to get it. I know what many of you are thinking, but don't blame Pete Fisher and the Opry on this one. It had to do with aisles being blocked and people sitting down front not being able to get out of their seats. If you have a seat in the lower level, you can still go up and take a picture, but you can no longer stay up front, having to return to your seat.

There were also comments about the lack of any major stars for the birthday weekend, which did hold the crowd down. The general opinion of many of us is that Pete Fisher did try to book some big names, and might actually have had a commitment from a few, but those fell through. Most of the Opry's bigger name members, along with many of the usual non-members that they use, were out on the road doing shows. And I am pretty sure they would not have scheduled a 2nd show with out thinking that there would have been a star or two to draw in the fans. The other factor is that this is the 1st year that the Opry's birthday show has not been televised, and television was a draw. I know that Jason Aldean last year appeared because of GAC. Now, we all know that the birthday weekend is announced a year in advance, and I know you would think Pete Fisher would book some people well ahead of time, but we also know that if a paying concert comes up for an Opry member, they will do that instead of the Opry. And for those who are interested, the birthday weekend next year has been moved back a week to the 2nd weekend in October.

Finally, there was the cake. For each show over the weekend, it was rolled out at the end by the stage hands. No Opry stars came out either night. They pushed it out after either Jim Ed Brown, Steve Wariner or John Conlee's final song, sang happy birthday, and pulled down the curtain. No sparklers and no real cake.

That puts another birthday weekend in the books. It was still a fine trip to Nashville, as always, and it was nice seeing friends and fellow Opry fans. For those who went, hopefully it was good enough to get you back next year. All things equal, I am sure I will keep my streak alive and make it back for the 89th. Then in 2015, you have the 90th, which I am sure the Opry will hit big.

Thanks again, and that is what I thought of the birthday weekend. I am always interested in how others saw it so please keep the comments coming.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

This weekend the Grand Ole Opry will be celebrating it's 88th birthday with 1 show on Friday night and 2 shows on Saturday night. In years past, all of us looked forward to the birthday weekend as the shows usually featured some of the best line-ups of the year. The past few years have seen the quality and quanity of the shows decrease, yet we still look forward to the birthday shows hoping that this will be the year. Well, sorry to say, 2013 is not that year. To be honest, the line-up for the shows this weekend look no different than what we have seen most weeks at the Opry. For the birthday shows on Saturday night, there are no huge guest-stars and only 8 Opry members scheduled, the biggest name being Steve Wariner. There is no Bill Anderson, no Marty Stuart, no Dolly Parton, no Vince Gill...you get the drift. And not even Ricky Skaggs, who traditionally has opened the Saturday shows playing Uncle Jimmy Thompson's fiddle. ( In what I call a strange booking, Ricky is actually scheduled for a show at the Ryman Auditorium on Saturday night with Bruce Hornsby. An Opry member in competition with the Opry!!).

What we do have on Saturday night are guest artists Casey James, who has appeared at the past several birthday shows, Sam Palladio, Tate Stevens and Sarah Darling, along with Opry favorite Mandy Barnett. As far as Opry members, Pete Fisher was nice enough to give us a few of the Opry's veterans. When you do look at the line-ups, you will notice an available slot during the first show. Perhaps Jimmy Dickens making a surprise appearance?

As far as the Friday Night Opry, this is the stronger of the 2 nights. Friday will feature two female artists who I wouldn't mind seeing as Opry members: Kathy Mattea and Crystal Gayle. Also scheduled are the very talented Secret Sisters, along with The Steeldrivers.

I mentioned the lack of star power this year for the birthday shows. Just for the heck of it, I went back over the past few years of the birthday shows and here is who they have booked in the past, that would be considered in the 'big name' category:

I think all of you get the drift. Also of note, and perhaps why there is a lack of star power this year, there is no televison for the birthday show. Even up to last year, GAC still televised the the anniversary shows.

For those who haven't bought tickets yet, there are thousands still available for the 2nd show. Why in the world would they schedule 2 shows for the birthday weekend without a few big names and still expect to sell tickets? The thought is that the Opry did reach out to a few people, and might have gotten the impression that one or two might appear, but apparently they fell through. At least that is my hope, that management actually tried.

As noted in the October Opry Highlights, I am going to post numerous Grand Ole Opry birthday show line-ups from past years so that all of you new Opry fans can see what great events these birthday shows were. The 1st one I am going to post is from 22 years ago this Saturday night, October 5, 1991, when the Opry celebrated it's 66th birthday.

1st show
6:30: Bonanza
Bill Monroe (host): I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky
Skeeter Davis: The End of the World
Bill Monroe: Dark as the Night; Blue as the Day

6:45: Country Music Hall of Fame
Charlie Walker (host): Right or Wrong
George Hamilton IV: Til I Can Gain Control Again
Hank Locklin: Send Me the Pillow You Dream On
Charlie Walker: Drinking Champagne

8:30: Opryland
Hank Snow (host): Address Unknown
4 Guys: Way Down Deep
Del Reeves: A Dozen Pair of Boots
Mike Snider: Old Joe Clark/Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Jeannie Seely: When He Leaves You
Hank Snow: I'm Glad I Got To See You Once Again

2nd show
9:30: Dollar General
Porter Wagoner (host): You Gotta Have A License
Osborne Brothers: Tennessee Hound Dog
Ray Pillow: The Days When You Were Still In Love With Me
Vince Gill: Look At Us/Crying Holy Unto The Lord/When I Call Your Name
Porter Wagoner: Big Wind

10:30: Pet Milk
Del Reeves (host): Two Dollars In the Jukebox/A Dime At A Time/Looking at the World Through A Windshield
David Houston: I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen
Del Reeves: Lay A Little Lovin On Me

11:30: Creamette
Bill Anderson (host): Don't She Look Good
The Whites: Love Is A Rose
Jeannie Seely: I'll Be Around When It's Over
Mike Snider: Foggy Mountain Breakdown/Putting On the Dog
Bill Anderson: Deck of Cards

You will notice that these birthday shows featured only Opry members, with Vince Gill being the newest member as he had joined the Opry in August of 1991. A lot different than this weekend. Also, I have a VHS tape of the televised segment and a few things stand out; first, Connie Smith stands out in the dress she is wearing. After her song, Roy tells her what a great job she did but there is no time for an encore. Second, after the birthday cake comes out, Roy has trouble finding his band to do the final song. Most of them eventually show up to play. And finally, most of the Opry's cast comes out to sing Happy Birthday with Hank Snow being the exception that stands out. And if Hank was not scheduled on the televised portion of the birthday show, he never came out with the cake.

To complete the Opry birthday weekend in 1991, here is the line-up from the Friday Night Opry, October 4. As with the Friday night show during the summer/fall months, there were 2 shows that night.

Even though it is not a line-up worth of the birthday weekend, it should still be a good time in Nashville. I will be there and will offer a full report of all the festivities when I return. Enjoy the Opry this weekend.

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About Me

I am a nationally recognized independent historian of the Grand Ole Opry. In addition to being the publisher and writer of Fayfare's Opry Blog, I have also researched Opry information for numerous authors and interested Opry fans. A resident of Canton, Ohio, I have attended hundreds of Grand Ole Opry shows since my first visit to Nashville in 1973. I can be contacted via email at bfay54@gmail.com